The BFR is Big!

Credit: SpaceX

The BFR will be 387 feet (118 meters) tall, and it can carry payloads up to 100 metric tons all the way to the surface of Mars.

A Spacious Spaceship

Credit: SpaceX

The BFR's new design is more spacious inside, fitting more than 35,000 cubic feet (1,000 cubic meters) of pressurized space inside. The payload section measures 180 feet (55 meters) long. That's more than 10 times the size of the space shuttle's living quarters.

Steering the BFR

Credit: SpaceX

To steer, the BFR has two actuated forward fins and three in the rear. (Elon Musk also referred to these features as "wings" or "fins.")

Landing the BFR

Credit: SpaceX

A screenshot of a landing simulation shows how the BFR will land. The rocket is designed to be able to land anywhere in the solar system, Elon Musk said when he unveiled the new design.

Elon Musk and Yusaku Maezawa

Credit: SpaceX

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and Japanese entrepreneur Yusaku Maezawa, who has booked SpaceX's first private flight around the moon on a Big Falcon Rocket, meet the press during the mission's unveiling at the company's headquarters in Hawthorne, California on Sept. 17, 2018.

BFR and Booster: Ascent

Credit: Elon Musk/SpaceX

SpaceX's new BFR design for 2018 showcases a sleek, sci-fi looking spaceship and its 1st stage booster as shown in this image unveiled by Elon Musk on Sept. 17, 2018.

BFR Stage Separation

Credit: SpaceX

An artist's illustration of SpaceX's Big Falcon Rocket launching into space. SpaceX will launch Japanese entrepreneur Yusaku Maezawa on the first private passenger flight around the moon, possibly in 2023.

BFR at the Moon

Credit: SpaceX

On Sept. 13, 2018, SpaceX announced it had signed the 1st private passenger for a moon trip on BFR. This image released with that announcement offered the first glimpse of BFR's design changes since the 2017 version (which fill the rest of this gallery). A significant change here is the highlight of 7 Raptor engines in use in vacuum. The 2017 design had 6 Raptor engines, with 4 for use in space and 2 for sea-level use during launches.

Flight Profile

Credit: SpaceX

This SpaceX graphic depicts the company's plan for the first private flight around the moon using its Big Falcon Rocket. The trip will take up to a week, SpaceX says.

BFR Spaceships on Mars

Credit: SpaceX

SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk has unveiled the company’s latest Mars-colonization architecture, which centers on a rocket-spaceship combo dubbed the BFR (Big F***ing Rocket). See how it works in images. Read our full story.

This image: Artist's illustration of SpaceX "BFR" spaceships on the surface of Mars.

SpaceX's Vision for a Mars City

Credit: SpaceX

SpaceX aims to launch its first Mars cargo missions in 2022 and the first crews in 2024. If all goes according to plan, these first flights will plant the seeds of a permanent, sustainable city on the Red Planet.
What follows are SpaceX's earlier designs for its BFR Mars rocket.

SpaceX Mars Transportation Architecture

Credit: SpaceX

Diagram showing SpaceX's basic plan for launching cargo and people to Mars at an affordable price.

The BFR Is Indeed Big

Credit: SpaceX

SpaceX’s envisioned BFR will be bigger and far more powerful than the company’s other rockets.

BFR from the Side

Credit: SpaceX

The BFR will be capable of lofting 150 tons of payload to low Earth orbit, SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk said.

BFR Spaceship: Top View

Credit: SpaceX

The BFR spaceship will feature 40 cabins, each of which will likely house two to three people on a typical Mars trip.

BFR Spaceship: Rear View

Credit: SpaceX

The BFR spaceship’s six Raptor engines will allow it to reach Mars after a journey of three to six months.

BFR Spaceships on the Moon

Credit: SpaceX

The BFR architecture isn’t Mars-specific; the system could help establish a base on the moon, Musk said.

From Earth to the Moon

Credit: SpaceX

The BFR spaceship could make it from Earth orbit to the lunar surface and back again without needing to refuel, Musk said.

BFR Spaceship at the ISS

Credit: SpaceX

Artist’s illustration of the BFR spaceship docked at the International Space Station.

BFR Spaceship Deploying a Satellite

Credit: SpaceX

The BFR system will be able to launch very large satellites, Musk said.

SpaceX BFR Earth Travel Launch

Credit: SpaceX

A giant SpaceX rocket launches from a floating platform near New York City carrying passengers bound for Shanghai in this still from a video animation depicting the potential for point-to-point travel on Earth with the massive spaceship.

Michael was a science writer for the Idaho National Laboratory and has been an intern at Wired.com, The Salinas Californian newspaper, and the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. He has also worked as a herpetologist and wildlife biologist. He has a Ph.D. in evolutionary biology from the University of Sydney, Australia, a bachelor's degree from the University of Arizona, and a graduate certificate in science writing from the University of California, Santa Cruz. To find out what his latest project is, you can follow Mike on Google+.

The BFR is Big!

Credit: SpaceX

The BFR will be 387 feet (118 meters) tall, and it can carry payloads up to 100 metric tons all the way to the surface of Mars.

A Spacious Spaceship

Credit: SpaceX

The BFR's new design is more spacious inside, fitting more than 35,000 cubic feet (1,000 cubic meters) of pressurized space inside. The payload section measures 180 feet (55 meters) long. That's more than 10 times the size of the space shuttle's living quarters.

Steering the BFR

Credit: SpaceX

To steer, the BFR has two actuated forward fins and three in the rear. (Elon Musk also referred to these features as "wings" or "fins.")

Landing the BFR

Credit: SpaceX

A screenshot of a landing simulation shows how the BFR will land. The rocket is designed to be able to land anywhere in the solar system, Elon Musk said when he unveiled the new design.

Elon Musk and Yusaku Maezawa

Credit: SpaceX

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and Japanese entrepreneur Yusaku Maezawa, who has booked SpaceX's first private flight around the moon on a Big Falcon Rocket, meet the press during the mission's unveiling at the company's headquarters in Hawthorne, California on Sept. 17, 2018.

BFR and Booster: Ascent

Credit: Elon Musk/SpaceX

SpaceX's new BFR design for 2018 showcases a sleek, sci-fi looking spaceship and its 1st stage booster as shown in this image unveiled by Elon Musk on Sept. 17, 2018.

BFR Stage Separation

Credit: SpaceX

An artist's illustration of SpaceX's Big Falcon Rocket launching into space. SpaceX will launch Japanese entrepreneur Yusaku Maezawa on the first private passenger flight around the moon, possibly in 2023.

BFR at the Moon

Credit: SpaceX

On Sept. 13, 2018, SpaceX announced it had signed the 1st private passenger for a moon trip on BFR. This image released with that announcement offered the first glimpse of BFR's design changes since the 2017 version (which fill the rest of this gallery). A significant change here is the highlight of 7 Raptor engines in use in vacuum. The 2017 design had 6 Raptor engines, with 4 for use in space and 2 for sea-level use during launches.

Flight Profile

Credit: SpaceX

This SpaceX graphic depicts the company's plan for the first private flight around the moon using its Big Falcon Rocket. The trip will take up to a week, SpaceX says.

BFR Spaceships on Mars

Credit: SpaceX

SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk has unveiled the company’s latest Mars-colonization architecture, which centers on a rocket-spaceship combo dubbed the BFR (Big F***ing Rocket). See how it works in images. Read our full story.

This image: Artist's illustration of SpaceX "BFR" spaceships on the surface of Mars.

SpaceX's Vision for a Mars City

Credit: SpaceX

SpaceX aims to launch its first Mars cargo missions in 2022 and the first crews in 2024. If all goes according to plan, these first flights will plant the seeds of a permanent, sustainable city on the Red Planet.
What follows are SpaceX's earlier designs for its BFR Mars rocket.

SpaceX Mars Transportation Architecture

Credit: SpaceX

Diagram showing SpaceX's basic plan for launching cargo and people to Mars at an affordable price.

The BFR Is Indeed Big

Credit: SpaceX

SpaceX’s envisioned BFR will be bigger and far more powerful than the company’s other rockets.

BFR from the Side

Credit: SpaceX

The BFR will be capable of lofting 150 tons of payload to low Earth orbit, SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk said.

BFR Spaceship: Top View

Credit: SpaceX

The BFR spaceship will feature 40 cabins, each of which will likely house two to three people on a typical Mars trip.

BFR Spaceship: Rear View

Credit: SpaceX

The BFR spaceship’s six Raptor engines will allow it to reach Mars after a journey of three to six months.

BFR Spaceships on the Moon

Credit: SpaceX

The BFR architecture isn’t Mars-specific; the system could help establish a base on the moon, Musk said.

From Earth to the Moon

Credit: SpaceX

The BFR spaceship could make it from Earth orbit to the lunar surface and back again without needing to refuel, Musk said.

BFR Spaceship at the ISS

Credit: SpaceX

Artist’s illustration of the BFR spaceship docked at the International Space Station.

BFR Spaceship Deploying a Satellite

Credit: SpaceX

The BFR system will be able to launch very large satellites, Musk said.

SpaceX BFR Earth Travel Launch

Credit: SpaceX

A giant SpaceX rocket launches from a floating platform near New York City carrying passengers bound for Shanghai in this still from a video animation depicting the potential for point-to-point travel on Earth with the massive spaceship.